(CNN) - Chris Christie's jam packed swing through Iowa on Thursday is advertised as being all about the 2014 midterm elections.

But the visit by the Republican governor of New Jersey and potential GOP presidential contender has plenty of 2016 implications, as Christie tries to get beyond the bridge controversy back home in the Garden State that's diminished his political standing.

(CNN) – Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad have a lot riding on Wednesday's Outback Bowl between college football's University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the Louisiana State University Tigers.

The two Republican governors have made a friendly wager aimed at helping feed the hungry in Iowa and Louisiana.

(CNN) – Republican Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa grew animated during a press conference Thursday discussing a state criminal investigator who claims he was fired for reporting the governor's vehicle speeding.

Larry Hedlund was fired as a special agent in charge with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Wednesday. His termination notice, posted online, states that Hedlund made "negative and disrespectful" comments about the department and its leadership.FULL POST

(CNN) - Word of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's trip to Iowa next weekend has many people who cover campaign politics buzzing.

The popular freshman senator from Florida will headline a birthday fundraiser for Terry Branstad, the Hawkeye State's GOP governor. Since Iowa holds the first contest in the caucus and primary calendar, Thursday's announcement is stirring talk of a possible bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.FULL POST

(CNN) - Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida will headline a birthday fundraiser for Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad next week, a spokesman for the governor announced Thursday.

The speaking gig will no doubt stir talk of a potential 2016 presidential bid for Rubio, as the event provides the first-term senator the chance to mingle with the Republican class in Iowa, the first state to hold caucuses in a presidential election.FULL POST

Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Two of Iowa's top Republicans Monday praised Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate and said the 2012 GOP ticket is more impressive than the one that went down in defeat to Barack Obama four years ago.

"The Romney-Ryan ticket is stronger than the McCain-Palin ticket," said Iowa Rep. Steve King, one of the state's leading conservative voices and a longtime critic of Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican standard-bearer.FULL POST